172 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
CYPRIPEDIUM x SALLIERI. 
Was the original Cypripedium X Sallieri a wild or an artificial hybrid ? 
This question has several times been asked, and some two years ago I 
collected together all the evidence I could find upon the subject (Orch. Rev. 
V, pp- 51, 52), without finding a satisfactory answer. The question has 
been re-opened by “H.R. R.” (Journ. of Hort., April 6, p. 269), as 
follows :— 
‘““CYPRIPEDIUM SALLIERI HyEANUM.—I recently noted a fine form of 
this variety flowering from an importation of C. insigne in one of our 
largest London nurseries. I was rather glad to have further proof that 
this is a natural hybrid, for possibly some of our readers may remember 
the very oracular criticism in the ORCHID REVIEW of my notes on the subject 
in the Journal of Horticulture some two years ago. Possibly the criticism 
was ‘a feeler,’ for most of the people who hold such strong and certain 
views on these botanical questions are not above getting a hint from practi- 
cal growers, who usually find out the truth of what they are writing before 
committing themselves. Be this as it may, there can be no doubt—indeed, 
there was none before—that this Cypripedium occurs in a wild state. It is 
rather quaint to read that because C. insigne and C. villosum grow and are 
collected many miles apart, that therefore the possibility of a hybrid 
between them occurring is remote. Who, that has handled a number of C. 
insigne, has not noticed, in many cases, the villosum petals, with their lines of 
deeper colour on one side? I may say that in quite a number of cases it 
would be difficult indeed to say what the flower was, provided the upper ° 
sepal was taken off and orily the lip and petals left. They are certainly 
more like villosum than insigne.”’ : 
Thus ‘‘ H. R. R.” disposes of the matter to his own entire satisfaction, 
but I cannot help wishing he had told us a little more. However, I will 
take the liberty of asking him a few questions, and thus prove his remark, 
that I am “ not above getting a hint from practical growers ”’ :— 
1. Where did the importation of C. insigne which he speaks about 
come from ? 
2. Did any true villosum appear in the same importation ? 
3- As the recorded habitats of the two species are about five hundred 
miles apart, by what natural agency does he suggest that the pollen was 
transported ? 
4. Will he send me a flower of one of the numerous cases where, on 
the dorsal sepal being removed, it would be difficult to say whether the plant 
was villosum or insigne? I never yet saw among the hundreds of insignes 
examined any approach to the shaggy ovary of villosum. 
It would also be quite legitimate to ask if, when a writer collects 
